Pasture Renovation

[PLMLLC]

Good day. I am looking for some advice from some experienced mulchers. I do quite a bit of mulching with my 299 XHP but haven't done a project liek this. I got a call from someone that has 20 acres of 25 yr old pine they just had logged. They are looking to have it restored to become pasture. They want me to mulch all the slash and stumps level to ground. I am not renting a dozer to scrap it all or an excavator to pull the stumps. They want a mulcher. Has anyone done this type of project? What is the time frame based on finish product to seed and fertilize? Rough estimates to clean up. I have some ideas in my head but looking for some feedback from people with who have done this type of project. Thanks in advance.

 

[fishfactor]

We have done many jobs just like you describe. The large stumps will be very time consuming with the small machine, unless you are running a cimaf head. Everything depends on the conditions the logger left. Clean sites can go very quick, where disaster sites can takes days per acre. We have literally done sites from $500 to $6,000 per acre. Just be sure to explain that the stumps will rot, and the hardwoods will re-sprout. They will need to bush hog at least once a year and/or spray something like arsonal or crossbow to keep the hardwoods down. Then after the stumps rot, they will probably want to disc everything and replant to smooth the depressions left by the rotting stumps. We usually recommend waiting until the hardwoods re-sprout, then have a contract sprayer come in before we mulch the site at least 3-4 weeks later. This seems to be the most effective if the time frame is acceptable.

 

[PLMLLC]

Thank you for the input... I don't do a lot of the larger projects. Mostly thinning jobs and some 2 or 3 acre lot clearing. This is a first for true pasture reclamation/renovation. The hardwood resprouts are a pain in the butt. I like your idea on spraying everything and then mulching. I am looking at the project on Wednesday so I will have a better idea after that of what they want and how much of a nightmare the site is. This is a family farm they just inherited. I think they are trying to get seed in the ground by the fall season for prime grass seeding so the timing my work. Unfortunately I just have a Cat 415HM head, which has done great on anything pine so far. It has the stock CAT teeth with 200 hrs on them. What makes the Cimaf head so much better and what is the maintenance like on them?

 

[gilbertmsg]

Don't think they will be able to plant this fall. I have some experience in planting in cleared land. The land will need to be limed and time given for tree shavings to rot. Some grass will grow, but it will be thin. Next fall it should be fine.

Eddie

 

[yellowdogsvc]

Check and see if the 415 will take the Cobra teeth and get them around the middle of your drum. They are similar to the knives on the Cimaf. I like the Cimaf designed head but I also like a trap door and I don't think Cimaf offers that option.

The Cobras will work wonders on those big stumps.. I run only 6 around the middle of my drum on my vt 150 (similar to cat 415) and it makes a huge difference. I'm going to order some more to get 10-12 in the middle of the drum since I work in a lot of rock. They are double-sided. Don't bother with the carbide. My first experience with the Cobra carbide was not good. They broke in about 10 minutes.. literally and are only single-sided.

I can't help much with the reseeding but I think the advice above about a clean site versus disaster will make the difference in your bid. Can you get some pics?

 

[PLMLLC]

Here are the pics of the site. Almost no slash except for one long windrow of the tops and branches. All stumps are literally 2 inches tall. At most 3 inches. Some are so flat with the ground they don't need anything. The pine was planted 25 yrs ago all in rows. They want the stumps level not super worried about debris. They just want to be able to drive a fertilizer truck and a seed truck through fairly easy. They are going to plant this fall and they know its not going to be perfect. They have a few years to get the pasture correct. Total of about 15 acres of stumps. They want to do this all as organically as possible.

 

[PLMLLC]

another pic of the stumps in a row

 

[tonyoz]

I have cleaned up pine plantations like this using our mulcher and stumpgrinder. Usually I grind the stumps first just down 4" below ground level and can do about 100 stumps per hour. Then run over the whole job with the mulcher . Down here in Oz hardwood stumps if ground below surface level then left buried will not resprout so could be the same up where you blokes are.

 

[PLMLLC]

Tony, That is a good idea that I never thought of. The CAT store has a stump grinder for my 299. I could use that and probably with it being pine that was just cut I could rip through them pretty quickly and not put my mulcher through the abuse. Then back drag all the debris with my mulcher smoothing it out and cleaning it up some. Sounds like my best option so far. Thank you!

 

[PLMLLC]

Tony, That is a good idea that I never thought of. The CAT store has a stump grinder for my 299. I could use that and probably with it being pine that was just cut I could rip through them pretty quickly and not put my mulcher through the abuse. Then back drag all the debris with my mulcher smoothing it out and cleaning it up some. Sounds like my best option so far. Thank you!